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You are here: Home / Cold Case News / Trial starts in the Hina Family Murders

Trial starts in the Hina Family Murders

December 2, 2013 By Alice

Trial starts in the Hina Family Murders today. The Hina Family was killed during a 1989 fatal fire at a Keene apartment complex, New Hampshire.

From the SFGate: “David McLeod has pleaded not guilty to four counts of second-degree murder. He is accused of igniting a blaze in a drug-fueled rage on Jan. 14, 1989, in the apartment building where his ex-girlfriend lived killing Carl and Lori Hina, their 4-month-old daughter, Lillian, and Carl Hina’s 12-year-old daughter, Sara.

Though McLeod was an early suspect, he was not arrested for more than two decades, in part because so many of the witnesses were drunk the night of the blaze or were uncooperative with authorities during the initial probe.”

It will be interesting to read more about the forensic arson investigations. The situation reminds me of the Kenneth Richey case, a former death row case from the state of Ohio. Richey too was accused of setting a fire to get back at a former girlfriend and her current partner who lived in an apartment complex. In that fire, the daughter of Richey’s then-girlfriend died of smoke inhalation.

Key in this case is whether this was an accidental fire or arson. One witness now deceased, Sandra Walker, told authorities about smoking in bed and falling asleep. She indicated that was how the fire started that set the apartment complex ablaze. However, her explanation did not seem to match the speed and the nature of the fire making experts at that time believe the fire to be arson.

I have followed this case in the papers and have found very little about the forensic arson analysis. Were any accelerants found? We know from past cases that some accidental fires were ruled arson only to be reversed on appeal. Those cases were re-examined with modern technology. Just look up the case of Cameron Todd Willingham to see how forensic arson detection has evolved.

I will update this post as the trial moves along.

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Filed Under: Cold Case News, Forensics Tagged With: Arson Detection, Autopsy, David McLeod, Hina Family, Kenneth Richey, New Hampshire, Ohio

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Author Notes

I write about old, unsolved cases from the pre-DNA era as they need renewed media attention. I only do research and leave the active investigation of these cases to professionals.

Posts include homicides, missing and unidentified people, wrongful convictions, and forensics as related to these cases.

On book reviews: I only review select works of true crime, crime fiction, and historical fiction/mysteries. The stories have to fit my website's theme and research. It remains my prerogative to not review a book. Please check the FAQ page for more.

My databases are free to the public. Cases are sorted by the victim’s last name.

If you have any questions about my website please check the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page, the about page, and the tabs in both menu bars. If you cannot find the answers there, please contact me.

Thank you,

Alice de Sturler
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